What healthy people really drink in a day

No one enjoys the perils of poor health. And with that, just about everyone wants, at least in some way, to become healthier. Even if you already consider yourself to be somewhat health-conscious, you likely have a running mental list of things you'd like to try in order to improve your health even more. By emulating the habits of healthy people, there's a good chance you will become a healthy person, too.

Many of the people we consider to be of utmost health do small things each and every day to contribute to their overall, longterm well-being. From getting fresh air for mental clarity to staying active for optimal physical health, there are plenty of things you can do to earn your "healthy person" status. Of course, you know you'll also have to learn what to eat — and what not to eat — on your journey to tip-top shape. But, did you know that what you drink every day also has the ability to transform your health — for better or for worse? Here are the beverages healthy people drink each and every day.

Good old-fashioned agua

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You can't talk about what healthy people drink without first considering the ever-important water. Healthy celebs, like Gal Gadot and Beyoncé, swear by drinking a whole lot of water each day. They're not wrong. As the molecule of life, we all need to consume water simply to survive. To thrive, however, your water intake should be above the minimum needed to sustain life. Still, the answer to just how much water you should be drinking has varied over time. According to the Mayo Clinic, there's no one-fits-all formula. Nevertheless, there are guidelines you can follow.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that the average healthy woman living in a temperate climate should consume 92 ounces (11.5 cups) of fluids on a daily basis. For men with the same circumstances, 124 ounces (15.5 cups) is the magic number. It sounds like a lot, but nearly 20 percent of your needed fluids comes from the food you eat. Just make sure to limit yourself to 1 liter (two 16.9-ounce bottles) of water per hour for optimum health.

You may want to add some lemon

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Warm lemon water has picked up steam over the years, especially in Hollywood. If you're wondering if it's actually good for you, it is. However, it's not quite the cure-all many people have claimed.

While the warmed lemon beverage has been said to improve digestion, Michael Russel, a nutritional consultant, explained to Self that this is more speculation than scientific fact. The drink has also been credited with enhancing mineral absorption — and that claim is actually true due to the vitamin C content in lemon juice. If lemons aren't your thing, though, you can get vitamin C through fruits like strawberries or vegetables like kale and broccoli. Though hot kale water isn't exactly appetizing.

Speaking of hot water, there are some benefits to that, too. Gina Keatley, a New York-based certified dietitian-nutritionist told Self: "The body has to do less work to increase the temperature of the water, therefore it leaves the stomach faster." Whereas with cold water, "it takes energy to heat it to body temperature."

Is a little bit of alcohol okay?

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There's a good chance you've heard conflicting advice regarding alcohol consumption. Some people say drinking alcohol — in moderation, that is — is perfectly fine. Others say you should avoid the fermented beverage at all costs. It's hard to know who to believe.

"It's safe to say that alcohol is both a tonic and a poison," wrote Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, "The difference lies mostly in the dose." Moderate drinking, which in the United States equates to no more than one drink for women and two drinks for men, can be good for your heart and circulatory system. It also can act as a protection against type 2 diabetes and even gallstones. Having an alcoholic beverage before eating can even aid digestion. Heavy drinking, however, not only counteracts those positives effects, but can severely damage many vital organs.

"Given the complexity of alcohol's effects on the body and the complexity of the people who drink it, blanket recommendations about alcohol are out of the question," the university explained. Your personal health, family history, and many other factors need to be considered before turning to alcohol for its health benefits.

Dwight Schrute would be all about this beverage

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There aren't many drinks that beat out beet juice — at least as far as its health benefits are concerned. Whether you love or hate the taste of beets, the juice of the colorful root vegetable has some pretty magical properties. According to Healthline, people who drank eight ounces of beetroot juice per day experienced lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Other studies have shown that drinking the beverage may reduce your cholesterol, improve stamina during exercise, and may even work to prevent cancer. It's also a great source of potassium, vitamin C, and other important minerals like iron, calcium, and manganese.

Even if you're not a super fan of this root vegetable's earthy taste, it would be hard to look past all of the amazing health benefits. And if you do love the taste, we'd totally understand if you decide to start farming your own beets à la Dwight Schrute.

A cup (or four) of jo

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Coffee addicts, it's time to rejoice. Healthy people do indeed drink java on the reg. Chock full of healthy goodness, coffee actually makes up a large part of the average Westerner's antioxidant intake — far more than most of us get from fruits and vegetables. Drinking coffee has even been linked to a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The question is: how much coffee should you actually drink? Well, it depends. To lower your risk of type 2 diabetes, at least three cups is recommended. Four cups or more has been shown to be the sweet spot for both avoiding cirrhosis, a chronic liver disease, and improving your mental health and lowering the risk of suicide. Those who drink up to five cups a day may even live longer than those who either don't drink coffee or drink fewer than four to five cups.

The case for coffee is strong, as long as you steer clear from adding tons of sweetener.

Tea — especially this kind

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If you're not a coffee drinker, you may be pleased to know that tea has some health benefits of its own. All types of tea consist of something called polyphenols that work to reduce inflammation and even help fight cancer, according to Healthline. Green tea is special, though, because it contains a whopping 30 percent of these inflammation-fighters by weight. It also contains a whole lot of catechins, which are essentially antioxidants.

For those who experience coffee jitters, green tea can be a great alternative as it still has caffeine — just not quite as much. Because of another fancy ingredient, L-theanine, found in green tea, some people find that it provides them a more stable "buzz" compared to a cup of coffee.

It's no wonder celebrities have been spotted drinking the beverage. Kourtney Kardashian wrote on her website (via InStyle): "Since I've stopped drinking coffee, green tea has been my go-to." The star likes both hot and iced varieties and, why not? They're both delicious.

You don't have to avoid milk

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These days, the topic of drinking milk has become quite controversial. While it's true that we are likely the only species that continues to drink milk past infancy, that's not necessarily a bad thing in and of itself.

Cow's milk contains good-for-you minerals and vitamins like calcium, potassium, and vitamin D. Researchers have also found that drinking cow's milk can be beneficial for brain health. However, there are risks to consider. For those with lactose intolerance, a milk allergy, or a sensitivity to dairy products, the symptoms of dairy consumption will far outweigh the benefits. You should also be mindful when picking out dairy products, as not all milks are healthy. For example, milk with added sugar is not ideal.

There's also the question of how much milk a person should drink each day. Studies have come up with varied results, but according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), everyone over the age of nine is recommended to consume three cups of dairy daily.

You may want to start drinking Kombucha

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You may think of Kombucha as the quintessential hipster beverage and, while you're not wrong, there are plenty of good reasons to consume the liquid. Kombucha is created by adding strains of bacteria, yeast, and sugar to black or green tea. The tea is then left to ferment for at least a week. In that time, probiotics are formed and the tea becomes carbonated. When you drink the fermented beverage, you'll notice how bubbly — and arguably delicious — it's become.

When made with green tea, you will get many of the same benefits mentioned earlier. Additionally, the fermentation process produces a whole lot of antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, which can fight against infection-causing bacteria and Candida yeasts. Studies of rats also concluded that the fermented drink can improve bad (LDL) and good (HDL) cholesterol in just 30 days.

In addition to green tea, Kourtney Kardashian said on her site (via Elite Daily): "Kombucha is one of the only other beverages I drink and when I do, I always feel like it's a treat. It has the same bubbly effect as soda since it's naturally carbonated, but kombucha is good for you!" It's true, folks.

Tomato juice, probably

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Nearly as popular as beer, tomato juice is the second-most ordered beverage on airplanes, Time cites experts as saying. Though, just because the drink is popular it doesn't necessarily make it healthy, right?

"Most tomato juice has added salt at a rather shocking concentration," David Katz, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, told the publication. And it may come as no surprise to you that salt is not exactly something we as Americans are lacking in our diets. Regardless, tomato juice still contains lycopene, an antioxidant that can lower a person's risk of numerous metabolic diseases as well as prostate cancer in men. It can even reduce your risk of having a stroke.

Of course, these same ingredients are found in whole tomatoes — minus the copious amounts of sodium. If you don't eat tomatoes regularly, low-sodium tomato juice will certainly be a good way to get some of these health benefits.

Hot cocoa (for real!)

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In the winter months, marshmallow-topped hot cocoa is possibly the best beverage in the entire world. While sipping on the chocolatey concoction may feel almost sinful, there are actually health benefits attached to hot cocoa. In fact, scientists at Cornell University found the drink to actually be better for you than green tea. If you'd rather eat a candy bar instead of slurping down the thick hot beverage, you should know it's not the same. "Although a bar of chocolate exhibits strong antioxidant activity, the health benefits are still controversial because of the saturated fats present," the researchers explained. Whereas hot cocoa has only a third of a gram of fat per eight ounce serving, a chocolate bar has a whopping eight grams of fat per serving.

Wondering how you'll get all of your favorite healthy beverages crammed into one 24-hour period? Lee Chang Y. (Cy) Lee, the study's lead researcher, has your back. "Personally, I would drink hot cocoa in the morning, green tea in the afternoon and a glass of red wine in the evening," he explained, "That's a good combination." Deal.